The Descent of Inanna

Excerpted from Descent to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation for Women by Sylvia Brinton Perera

There are many myths and tales about the descent of and to the goddess: for instance the Japanese Izanami, the Greek Kore-Persephone, Roman Psyche, and the fairytale heroines who go to Mother Hulda or Baba Yaga or the gingerbread house witch. The oldest known myth that states this motif was written on clay tablets in the third millenium B.C. 

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It is usually known as "The Descent of Inanna," the Sumerian queen of heaven and earth.

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In the Sumerian poem Inanna decides to go into the underworld: she "set her heart from highest heaven on earth's deepest ground," "abandoned heaven, abandoned earth — to the Netherworld she descended." As a precaution, she instructs Ninshubur, her trusted female executive, to appeal to the father gods for help in securing her release if she does not return within three days.

At the first gate to the Netherworld, Inanna is stopped and asked to declare herself. The gatekeeper informs Ereshkigal, queen of the Great Below, that Inanna, "Queen of Heaven, of the place where the Sun rises," asks for admission to the "land of no return" to witness the funeral of Gugalanna, husband of Ereshkigal. Ereshkigal becomes furious, and insists that the upper-world goddess be treated according to the laws and rites for anyone entering her kingdom — that she be brought "naked and bowed low."

The gatekeeper follows orders. He removes one piece of Inanna's magnificent regalia at each of the seven gates. "Crouched and stripped bare," as the Sumerians were laid in the grave, Inanna is judged by the seven judges. Ereshkigal kills her. Her corpse is hung on a peg, where it turns into a side of green, rotting meat. After three days, when Inanna fails to return, her assistant Ninshubur sets in motion her instructions to rouse the people and gods with dirge drum and lamenting.

Ninshibur goes to Enlil, the highest god of sky and earth, and to Nanna, the moon god and Inanna's father. Both refuse to meddle in the exacting ways of the underworld. Finally, Enki, the god of waters and wisdom, hears Ninshubur's plea and rescues Inanna, using two little mourners he creates from the dirt under his fingernail. They slip unnoticed into the Netherworld, carrying the food and water of life with which Enki provides them, and they secure Inanna's release by commiserating with Ereshkigal, who is now groaning -- over the dead, or with her own birth pangs. She is so grateful for empathy that she finally hands over Inanna's corpse. Restored to life, Inanna is reminded that she will need to send a substitute to take her place. Demons to seize this scapegoat surround her as she returns through the seven gates and reclaims her vestments.

The last part of the myth involves the search for her substitute. Inanna does not hand over anyone who mourned for her. But finally she comes upon her primary consort, Dumuzi (later called Tummuz), who sits enjoying himself on his throne. Inanna looks on him with the same eyes of death Ereshkigal had set upon her, and the demons seize him. Dumuzi flees with the help of Utu, who is the sun god and Inanna's brother. Utu transforms him into a snake to permit escape. In a related poem, Dumuzi dreams of his downfall. He goes to his sister, Geshtinanna, who helps him to interpret his dream and urges him to flee. When flight proves useless, she shelters him and finally offers to sacrifice herself in his stead. Inanna decrees that they shall divine the fate and spend half a year each in the underworld. The final poem ends with the words;

Inanna placed Dumuzi in the hands of the eternal.

Holy Ereshkigal! Sweet is your praise!

In the above excerpt, the author quotes passages from The Sacred Marriage Rite: Aspects of Faith, Myth, and Ritual in Ancient Sumer by Samuel Noah Kramer and Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth, Her Stories and Hymns by Diane Wolkstein and Samuel Noah Kramer.